A service technician is often used to support the installation or repair of telephone service. Due to the cost of dispatching a service technician, it is preferable that a service technician only be dispatched when necessary and that multiple dispatches to the same location be avoided if possible. Typically, the dispatch of a service technician is initiated by a service request from a number of different sources, such as an ordering system used by an incumbent local exchange carrier and an ordering system used by a competitive local exchange carrier. Although it is preferable to avoid an unnecessary dispatch, the different sources typically do not attempt to prevent unnecessary dispatches because the performance of a particular system is not affected by an unnecessary dispatch. For example, the performance of an ordering system can be measured by how quickly a service order is generated. If so, then an ordering system generates a service order as quickly as possible, without trying to determine whether the service order will result in an unnecessary dispatch.
It is a common occurrence for an ordering system to receive a request for installation of service from one customer and a request for discontinuation of service at the same location from another customer if the first customer is moving to the location and the second customer is moving away from the location. If the ordering system receives a request from the first customer to install new service at the location, then the ordering system issues a service request that requests the installation of new service. The ordering system (or other systems involved in the installation of the new service) may not recognize that the second customer has requested discontinuation of service at the same location so that the facilities previously used by the second customer can be assigned to the first customer. If not, then different facilities may be assigned for use by the second customer and a service technician is dispatched to complete the installation. However, if the facilities previously used by the second customer can be assigned to the first customer, then the dispatch can be saved because the existing facilities are reused.
An unnecessary dispatch can also result when a customer requests the installation of service at a multifamily dwelling or office building. An address for such a building can include a building number, unit number, floor number or suite number, in addition to a street number. For example, the address for an apartment can include “Building A, Unit 102.” The inconsistent use of building numbers and unit numbers in an address can result in an unnecessary dispatch because an address that uses one method of addressing is not recognized as referring to the same location as another address that uses a different method of addressing. Consider the situation where service was previously provided to an apartment using an address that includes “Building A, Unit 102.” A subsequent request for installation of service is made for the same apartment, but the customer provides an address that includes “A-102,” rather than “Building A, Unit 102.” If the address is not recognized as referring to the same location, then new facilities are assigned and a service technician is dispatched to complete the installation. However, if the address is recognized as referring to the same location, then the facilities can be reused and the dispatch can be saved. Thus, there is a need for a system and method for monitoring the dispatch of service technicians to eliminate unnecessary dispatches.
The determination of an unnecessary dispatch should be made quickly enough so that it does not impair the response time for the dispatch of a service technician. If the time required to determine an unnecessary dispatch is too long, then the response time will suffer and customers cannot be timely served. Thus, the system and method for monitoring the dispatch of service technicians to eliminate unnecessary dispatches should not delay the dispatch of a service technician if the dispatch is necessary.